This cheesey lady is here to tell you about one of the very best ash-ripened cheeses, Wabash Cannonball from the legendary Capriole in Indiana.

There seems to be a new American creamery popping up every other month these days, but before we had Alemar, Jasper Hill, Prairie Fruits Farm, and Uplands, there was Judy Schad and her goats at Capriole Farms in Greenville, Indiana. In 1992, amid the inauguration of Bill Clinton, Johnny Carson’s retirement from the Tonight Show, and the construction of the massive Mall of America, Judy was hand-crafting tiny chevre treasures. Wabash Cannonball won the coveted “Best in Show” award at the American Cheese Society’s annual competition in 1995, and it has continued to be a joy ever since.

Photo by Erika Kubick

Like a classy Hollywood actress, well-made cheese ages gracefully and the Cannonball is no exception. The cheese starts out like a fresh white snowball, snuggly packed in a wooden box lined with wax paper. As the goat cheese matures, it develops a wrinkled rind and the snowy cover gives way to a layer of ash peering from underneath. With age, Wabash Cannonball’s interior paste becomes fudgy and decadent with age while the flavors of salt, cream and earth intensify without becoming overly pungent.

Photo by Erika Kubick

This is dessert at its finest. Pair with berries or pears when middle aged and when mature, indulge your tastebuds with a smear of Quince and Apple’s Raspberry Rose preserves. Simply divine with a demi-sec Champagne or sparkling Moscato.

Stay cheesy out there!

-Esther

Esther Hill is an ACS Certified Cheese Professional and cheese-monger for Whole Foods Market in Northwest Chicagoland. Follow her on Twitter at Esther@cheeseallthat and read her blog www.cheeseallthat.weebly.com

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[…] aged goat cheeses. Founder Judy Schad was heavily influenced by the many styles of French chèvre. Wabash Cannonball is one of my favorites, a 3-oz sphere lightly dusted with ash before aging. It has a dense, cakey […]